May 19-20, 2021
INSTITUTE FOR PEACE & DIPLOMACY PRESENTS: MIDDLE EAST STRATEGY FORUM (MESF 2021)
https://peacediplomacy.org/
Several AMBCANADA members are featured speakers: Jon Allen, Dennis Horak and Ferry de Kerkhove
Monday, May 3, 2021
Entre l’arbre et l’écorce : La pandémie en 2020 et les enjeux de la liberté de la presse au Canada
Le 3 mai est la Journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse, proclamée par l’UNESCO et dont le thème de cette année est « l’information comme bien public ».
À cette occasion, l’Association canadienne pour les Nations unies de la Communauté métropolitaine de Québec a invité Marie-Maude Denis, journaliste d’enquête pour Radio-Canada et plusieurs fois lauréate du prix Judith-Jasmin, à s’exprimer sur les effets des mesures exceptionnelles entourant la pandémie de COVID-19 sur la liberté de la presse et sur la qualité de l’information.
En effet, la pandémie de Covid-19 cristallise bien des enjeux liés à la liberté de la presse dans le monde. Si le Canada occupe une position avantageuse dans le classement mondial de la liberté de la presse, notamment pour son engagement au niveau international (RSF, 2021), Reporters sans frontières souligne les efforts qu’il reste à produire au niveau canadien.
Dans son intervention, Marie-Maude Denis reviendra sur les défis et les obstacles rencontrés par les journalistes canadiens dans la pratique de leur métier durant la pandémie.
Pour inscription: https://www.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Women’s Power and Potential through the Lens of International Security
Tim Martin: Tim is the author of a political thriller with a social conscience, Moral Hazards. Tim brings the authentic voice of experience from international conflict zones to this unflinching and heartfelt exploration of a peacekeeping operation gone bad.
Tim’s high-level diplomatic service includes leading Canada’s civilian work in southern Afghanistan, the Kimberley Process to ban conflict diamonds and Middle East peace negotiations. He has been awarded three medals for his service to Canada and the Award of Excellence in the Public Service for Canada’s humanitarian assistance to Palestinian children affected by conflict.
Hannah Thibedeau: Hannah is a veteran political reporter having covered the Hill for nearly 20 years, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. She covers politics for CBC TV, CBC Radio and CBC Politics online.
This event is part of Project Tembo, bringing education and micro business opportunities to women and girls in Tanzania.
Date: April 20
Time: 7 – 8 p.m. EST
Tickets: $25
To get your ticket: https://www.
Click on this video for more information.
Virtual Panel Discussion: A Multi-Partisan Consensus on Canada’s National Interests?
OTTAWA, April 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy will host an expert roundtable on April 12 (4:00-5:00 PM ET) to discuss the state of play in Canada’s partisan foreign policy discourse, elaborate upon the necessity for Canada’s political parties to forge a consensus understanding of the national interest, and explore what some of the contours of such a national consensus might look like. This event will be conducted primarily in English but will feature some commentary in French. Registration is free and open to the public.
There is no objective consensus in Ottawa on what Canada’s national interests actually are. At least since the premiership of Stephen Harper, foreign policy debates between Canada’s political parties have centred on rival visions of the country’s national identity. In other words, the Liberal and Conservative parties have not only advocated for different policies, but have also advanced clashing interpretations of Canada’s role in the world. The failure of Canada’s political class to develop a consensus vision of the national interest comes with several risks, particularly at a time when the international order is shifting. The absence of a substantive, consistent and multi-partisan foreign policy has already begun to damage Canada’s influence in global affairs, having lost two consecutive bids for a UN Security Council seat under governments of differing stripes.
There is clearly a need for continuous and constructive analysis, debate and dialogue on the nature of Canada’s long-term national interests and values. In hosting this panel discussion, the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy hopes to identify Canadian foreign policy priorities in an increasingly uncertain world.
Panelists
Dr. Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs and Professor in Wilfrid Laurier University’s Political Science Department
Dr. Chris Kilford, Director of the Canadian International Council
Dr. Jean-Christophe Boucher, Assistant Professor at University of Calgary
Jocelyn Coulon, Advisor at the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy and Research Fellow at the Montreal Centre for International Studies (CERIUM)
Moderator: Dr. Zachary Paikin, Research Fellow at the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy
The Institute for Peace & Diplomacy (IPD) is a Canadian non-profit and non-partisan foreign policy think tank dedicated to promoting sustainable peace through diplomacy, dialogue, and constructive engagement. Visit our website to learn more (https://peacediplomacy.org).
Contact:
Bailey Cordrey
bailey@peacediplomacy.org
Monday, March 15 , 2021
AMBCANADA Webinar: Diversity and Inclusion in Canada’s Foreign Policy
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Dear colleagues and friends,
The next AMBCANADA webinar will take place on March 15, 2021 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm EST. This is a joint event with Young Diplomats Canada (YDC). The panel discussion will focus on Diversity and Inclusion in Canada’s Foreign Policy.
Our guest speakers will be:
- Deborah Chatsis, former Ambassador to Vietnam and Guatemala and former High Commissioner to Belize, and a member of the Ahtahkakoop First Nation
- Ayesha Rekhi, Ambassador to the Czech Republic
- Max Seunik, CEO, Young Diplomats Canada
- Carla-Anide Guillaume, Y7 Delegate and Inclusion Coordinator
Our moderator will be Jillian Stirk, former Ambassador to Norway and former Assistant Deputy Minister in Global Affairs Canada, and co-author of “Diversity Dividend: Canada’s Global Advantage”.
The webinar will take place on Monday, March 15, from 12:00 to 1:30 pm EST.
The webinar is limited to 100 persons so please register early.
Registration Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/
We hope you will join us.
ASG Webinar – The African Continental Free Trade Agreement: Prospects and Challenges
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_G-n2nE6GRCiWNhch643ueA
(The ASG has access to this Zoom Licence thanks to its links with the National Capital Branch of the Canadian International Council (CIC). The ASG is an open organization but we encourage members to consider CIC membership – www.theCIC.org
Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba will talk on The AfCTA and Structural transformation in Africa: Prospects and Challenges
Rosemina Nathoo will be the discussant.
The presentation will be in English.
Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba is a Visiting Professor at the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University. His PhD is from the University of Lagos, and he is an Associate Professor at the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute, University of South Africa.
He is currently directing a Carnegie Corporation study of the role of the African Diaspora in the revitalization of higher education in Africa at the IAS. He has worked on and published widely on the role of regionalism in African development, notably in Gumede V, Oloruntoba, S.O. et al (2020) Regional Integration and Migration in Africa: Lessons from Southern and West Africa, Leiden and Dakar: Brills and CODESRIA and Oloruntoba, S.O. 2016. Regionalism and Integration in Africa: EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements and Euro-Nigeria Relations, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Rosemina Nathoo is Director of UK Programs and International Legal Counsel at the Centre for Trade Policy and Law, Carleton University. She was Research Director and Lead Trade Law Advisor at the CTPL’s Africa Trade Policy project to support the AfCTA negotiations project. She was legal adviser and part of the AUC’s Expert Review Group that worked on the draft AfCTA and the legal scrubbing of the final agreement.
She is also a lecturer in trade negotiations at Carleton’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. She was previously Director of the Office of Legal Affairs at the University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan and at the Aga Khan Foundation Canada.
The Changing Face of Diplomacy
You are invited to join a panel of practitioners and scholars to discuss recent and ongoing changes to the practice of diplomacy. Our panelists will address: the centralization of foreign policy in leaders’ offices; the evolving role of ambassadors and embassies; the rise of non-state actors; the advent of digital diplomacy. Following short presentations, we will have Q&A and general discussion. Join
Senator Peter Boehm
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee; former Deputy Minister of International Assistance, Global Affairs Canada; former G-8 Sherpa; and former Canadian Ambassador to Germany
Ambassador Sabine Sparwasser
German Ambassador to Canada; former Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, German Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and former Director of the German Foreign Service Academy
Rosemary McCarney
Senior Fellow in Foreign and Defence Policy, Massey College; former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva; and former President and CEO, Plan Canada
Mark Raymond
The Wick Cary Associate Professor of International Security and the Director of the Cyber Governance and Policy Center at the University of Oklahoma; and the author of Social Practices of Rule-Making in World Politics (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019).
Jon Allen
Senior Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs; former Assistant Deputy Minister, Americas, Global Affairs Canada; and the former Canadian Ambassador to Israel and Spain
Jack Cunningham
Program Coordinator, Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History; former editor of International Journal
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This event is sponsored by the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History; the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy; and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
Wednesday, Feb. 24th, 11 am-12:30 pm EST.
ASG webinar: South Africa: Assessing Three Years of the Ramaphosa Presidency
The Africa Study Group is happy to announce its next Webinar, on Thursday, January 28 at 4PM, a panel discussion by David Hornsby and Shireen Hassim of Carleton University on “South Africa: Assessing Three Years of the Ramaphosa Presidency”
Please register at the Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AyyajrmOQaqyr9eaBqY5Iw
(Please note that the ASG has access to this Zoom Licence thanks to its links to the National Capital Branch of the Canadian International Council (CIC). The ASG is an open organization but we do encourage members to consider CIC membership – www.theCIC.org)
David Hornsby is Associate Vice-Président, Carleton University and Professor of International Affairs at the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs. Prior to joining NPSIA he held appointments at University College London and at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. His PhD is from Cambridge.
Shireen Hassim is Canada 150 Research Chair in Gender and African Politics at the Institute of African Studies, Carleton University. She is also associated with the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of the Witwatersrand University. Her PhD is from York University, Toronto.
The ASG’s subsequent event will be the second in the Governance Webinar series. It will be on Friday February 5 at 11AM and look at Governance and Security in Africa.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
IDRC webinar on COVID in Africa
An IDRC webinar on COVID in Africa December 8 at 8AM!
We need to get used to different times for events that interest people around the world!
Please note the time of this event is 8-9:30am EST , which is 1-2:30pm UTC.
To register: https://www.idrc.ca/en/events/africa-and-covid-19-communities
Saturday, December 5, 2020
Africa Study Group: Governance and the Democratic Process in West Africa
| The Africa Study Group is happy to announce its next webinar, a panel discussion on Governance and Political Processes in West Africa.
Date: Saturday December 5, 2020 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM (Ottawa Time) or 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM GMT (Dakar Time). Please register at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6K547SQ9QraBnDxLoyvdzg (Note: the date and time are intended to allow West African participation on the panel, while avoiding a time that falls in the middle of the working day in North America.) The panel will be Chaired by Dr. Cheickh Bangoura, ASG Vice-Chair, and will include Dr. Doudou Dia, Executive Director of the Gorée Institute, Dakar, Senegal, presenting an overview of the theme, with recent developments, and Ms Lise Filiatrault, recently Canada’s Ambassador to Senegal, and prior to that Assistant Deputy Minister for Sub-Saharan Africa at Global Affairs Canada. She will present on Canada’s experience in promoting good governance in West Africa. The presentations will be in French and English and questions will be welcome in both languages. Before the beginning of the question period, Ms Julie Shouldice, Vice-President for Strategy, Regions and Policy at the International Development Research Centre and previously Canadian Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, will give a brief summary of the work that IDRC has been doing on governance in the region.
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Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Fourth Annual Michael Bell Lecture:
The Future of the Arab World: Tumult and Transformation
November 25, 2020, 9:30 am ET
Speaker: Marwan Muasher, Vice President for Studies, Carnegie Endowment
RSVP and more information: http://michael-bell-lecture.
More details here: Michael-Bell-Lecture-poster-final
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
US Elections: Challenges and Opportunities for North America
November 10, 2020, 11 am ET
Speakers:
Martha Bárcena Coqui, Ambassador of Mexico to the US
Earl Anthony Wayne, former Ambassador of the US to Mexico
Michael Kergin, former Ambassador of Canada to the US
Registration at: registrowebinar.ceop@gmail.com (send an email with your name and institutional affiliation)
More details here: Webinar on US Elections-Challenges and Ooportunities for North America
Monday, November 9, 2020
Foreign Policy By Canadians Inaugural Conference: Putting Public Health at the Heart of Canada’s Global Engagement
November 9, 2020, 9:30 am – 4 pm (take part in the full-day program or attend the panels of your choice).
The all-day program includes a presentation session on Canada’s Global Engagement, two expert panels on the topic of Global Public Health, a special keynote address (The Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of International Development, moderated by Campbell Clark, The Globe and Mail), and a roundtable on the preparations for citizen discussions.
For full program and to register:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/
Background information: Foreign Policy By Canadians is a joint initiative by the Canadian International Council (CIC), the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH) and Global Canada. It is a national conversation, for Canadians from all walks of life to convene and present their perspectives on Canada’s foreign policy priorities for the 2020s. In 2020-2021, regional events will take place across Canada, and as an entry point for these discussions the events will focus on these areas of policy action: Global Public Health, Global Economy and Security.
Framed by expert discussion and underpinned by innovative online technology to facilitate large-scale interaction, Foreign Policy By Canadians will mark the beginning of a new approach to sustainable, inclusive and meaningful policy-making.
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
The Day After: Making Sense of the U.S. Election
The International Issues Discussion (IID) series at Ryerson University is pleased to present its fourth event of the Fall 2020 term in partnership with the Toronto chapter of the Canadian International Council (CIC): “The Day After: Making Sense of the U.S. Election”.
Our guests will be:
Jeremy Kinsman (former Canadian Ambassador)
Jon Allen (former Canadian Ambassador)
David Shribman (Pulitzer Prize winning journalist)
Khawar Nasim (Deputy Consul General of Canada in New York)
Rachel McCormick (Consul General of Canada in Dallas)
Brandon Lee (Consul General of Canada in Seattle)
Moderated by Jo-Ann Davis (President, CIC Toronto)
This talk will be held on-line via Zoom on Wednesday, November 4th at 6:30 pm. Registration is free via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/124437839929 .
Thursday, December 5 , 2019
Canada on the United Nations Security Council – Past Experiences and Future Prospects
As the twentieth century ended, Canada was completing its sixth term on the United Nations Security Council, more terms than all but three other non-permanent members. A decade later, Ottawa’s attempt to return to the council was dramatically rejected by its global peers, shocking Canadians and international observers. A new campaign for a temporary seat on the Council is in its last months, with the likelihood of success far from assured. What does our past experience show us about the benefits and costs of seeking a seat and (once successful) occupying a seat at the Security Council? What are the issues at stake?
To help us answer these questions, the CIC National Capital Branch is pleased to welcome Adam Chapnick, Professor of defence and foreign policy studies at the Royal Military College of Canada. He is the author of several recent books on Canadian foreign policy including, Canada on the United Nations Security Council: A Small Power on a Large Stage, a new history and analysis of Canada’s Security Council campaigns and its role in the world’s most powerful arena.
Paul Heinbecker, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations during our last experience on the Security Council and author of Getting back in the Game: A Foreign Policy Playbook for Canada, will provide commentary.
The event will be moderated by Patricia Fortier, a former Canadian diplomat who served during Canada’s most recent experiences on the Security Council (1989-1990 and 1999-2000).
Copies of “Canada on the United Nations Security Council: A Small Power on a Large Stage” will be available for sale and for signing at the event.
DATE AND TIME:
Thursday, December 5, 2019
5:30 pm: Doors open
6:00 – 7:30 pm: Remarks followed by Q&A
LOCATION:
Heart and Crown
67 Clarence Street, Ottawa, ON, K1N 5P5
TICKETS AND REGISTRATION:
Tickets are $7.50 for CIC student members, $10 for CIC members and non-member students, and $15 for non-members, and include a beer, glass of wine or other beverage.
**While tickets will be sold at the door up to the capacity of the venue, we highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance online as our last event sold out!
Those wishing to register for payment at the door, encountering difficulties with Eventbrite, or otherwise, may contact the event administrator by email: ottawa@thecic.org or telephone: 613-903-4011.
Wednesday, November 27 and Thursday, November 28, 2019
The Summit on Canada’s Global Leadership
The Summit on Canada’s Global Leadership will take place on Wednesday, November 27th and Thursday, November 28th at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre. Organized by the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC), this two-day conference will feature a stellar list of speakers including Lloyd Axworthy, Roland Paris, Peggy Mason, Jacqueline O’Neill, Hugh Segal, Richard Fadden and Bob Rae. A copy of the programme is attached. RHOMA will also have a booth at the conference where our just released new book, Not Mentioned in Dispatches/Confidences peu diplomatiques, will be available for sale.
RHOMA is sponsoring a break-out session in the plenary room on the afternoon of November 28th from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. which is entitled “Modifying Canadian Foreign Policy to Confront an America-First World Order”. The session will include a panel discussion by Margaret Biggs, Len Edwards and Randolph Mank and will be moderated by Gilles Rivard and Suzanne Laporte.
Tickets for the conference are available through the CCIC’s website at http://www.ccic.ca . As a sponsoring organization RHOMA members are entitled to a reduced fee ($320.00 instead of $600.00 for the two days with the possibility of attending one day only for $160.00). To secure the reduced fee RHOMA members are asked to use the promotional code GlobalSponsor2019 in English or CommanditaireMondial2019 in French. Please note that the deadline for registering is November 22nd. We hope to see you there.
The program: ‘s Global Leadership Program November 7
Monday, November 4, 2019
Third Annual Michael Bell Lecture: Reset or Upset? Trump’s Middle East Parameters
The Third Michael Bell Lecture on the Middle East, hosted by the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, will take place on November 4th from 1:30 to 3:30 at the Senate Room, 608 Robertson Hall, Carleton University.
The Guest Speaker will be Barbara Plett Usher, BBC’s State Department Correspondent and a Carleton School of Journalism graduate, on assignment in Jerusalem.
Her topic will be “Reset or Upset? Trump’s Middle East Parameters”
RSVP: International.Affairs@carleton.ca
Wednesday, October 30,2019
Africa Study Group: Change on Algeria?
The Africa Study Group is happy to announce our next event Change in Algeria? with Isabelle Roy, former Canadian Ambassador in Algiers. The presentation will be in French, but the Q&A will be in both languages
Time: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 from 5:30 to 7:30PM
Place: Colonel By Room, Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Av West
Isabelle Roy was Canadian Ambassador to Algeria from 2014 to 2017. A career diplomat, she had previously been Ambassador to Mali from 2005 to 2008, and also served in Yaoundé and Paris. She studied mathematics and economics, as well as public administration
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
CIC – China’s Kaleidoscope: Relations with Canada and the World
Join the CIC National Capital Branch for appetizers and a drink at its first flagship speaker event of the season on Tuesday, October 15, to be held at the recently renovated Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Downtown!
The consequences of a changing China’s distinct world view are being felt around the world, including in Canada. What are the factors influencing China’s foreign and economic policy today? What does China’s world view mean for our future?
Our featured speaker is Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada’s Ambassador to China from 2012 to 2016, who will share his first-hand experience dealing with these issues. One of Canada’s most senior diplomats with a career spanning nearly forty years, Mr. Saint- Jacques also served as Canada’s Deputy Head of Mission in London and in Washington, and was our Chief Negotiator and Climate Change Ambassador from 2010 to 2012, in addition to being posted to Kinshasa and Hong Kong.
DATE AND TIME:
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
5:00 pm: Registration, networking reception (including appetizers), cash bar
6:00 pm: Presentation, discussion
(Note to CIC members: This event will be preceded by the CIC National Capital Branch’s Annual Meeting, to take place onsite at the Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Downtown at 4:10 pm).
LOCATION:
Note new venue!
Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Downtown, 361 Queen Street, Monsella A/B room
Ottawa (Ontario) K1R 0C7
(across the street from the Lyon O-Train East station)
Parking options: Underground with elevator to the hotel, or across the street for a flat rate of 6$ starting at 5pm.
TICKETS AND REGISTRATION:
CIC member: $25
CIC student member: $15
Non member: $35
Non member student: $25
(Prices include Eventbrite registration fee)
Add $3 to ticket price to pay at the door (registration in advance is recommended).
The deadline for registration and cancellation is Monday, October 14 at noon.
To register
Those wishing to register for payment at the door, encountering difficulties with Eventbrite, or otherwise, may contact the event administrator by email: ottawa@thecic.org or telephone: 613-903-4011.
Wednesday, September 25
Canadian International Council, Victoria branch: The Future of Canadian Diplomacy
“The Future of Canadian Diplomacy”, a timely panel coming just before the October federal election, that examines the current state of Canadian diplomacy, and future challenges facing the profession.
The panel features two former Canadian ambassadors, Jillian Stirk and Marc Lortie; Pam Isfeld, President of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers, and former CBC correspondent Patrick Brown, with an introduction from former Canadian Ambassador to Thailand, Phil Calvert. CIC Victoria President, Chris Kilford, will be the moderator.
See it here on YouTube
Monday, September 23
CIC Mentorship Program
The Canadian International Council – National Capital Branch (CIC-NCB) is inviting RHOMA members to become part of their new Mentorship Program, which is being sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) as part of its Community and Social Impact programming. The 2019-2020 Mentorship Program is being launched on Monday September 23rd, with a reception at 90 Sparks St. at 6 P.M. You can register for this reception through the Eventbrite link on the information below.
The Mentorship Program pairs students and young professional members with select, accomplished CIC members, in a one-on-one mentoring partnership. Responsibilities as a mentor can require as much or as little time as the mentor is able to give. The message below contains more details, including who to contact to register as a mentor. It is hoped that mentors will also become members of the CIC-NCB, if they are not members already.
The CIC National Capital Branch invites you to BECOME A MENTOR. Also, are you available September 23rd? If so, join us at our LAUNCH EVENT!
CIC NATIONAL CAPITAL BRANCH
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Overview of Program
The CIC Mentorship Program pairs students and young professional members with select, accomplished professional CIC members in a one-on-one mentoring partnership. Mentors represent a variety of career trajectories related to international affairs from government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
Students and young professionals are matched with mentors based on interests regarding industry, geographic location, career path, and interests. Mentors serve as coaches, advisors, and connectors to help students and young professionals expand their networks, transition into a professional career, and obtain practical and experience-based guidance.
This experience is free for all members of the CIC National Capital Branch.
Limited Mentee positions will be available, and applications will open following our September 23rd launch event (more information below).
Mentor Sign-Ups (Now Open!)
The true driver of this program lies in our knowledgeable and experienced mentors. For this upcoming year of the mentorship program, we are looking for mentor volunteers.
Responsibilities as a mentor will depend heavily on the relationship built with the mentee, but can require as much or as little time as the mentor is willing and able to give. Meetings with a mentee could be anything from attending CIC events together, sitting down for a coffee and a chat, or even a more intense cover letter and resume writing session. Every relationship will be unique – and we sincerely hope you consider the positive effect a mentorship can have on a student or young professional’s career path.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please send an email to the Mentorship Program at cic.mentorshipprogram@gmail.com with your intent to participate.
Note: we are looking for mentors in any stage of their professional careers. If you feel you may have wisdom or skills to pass on, we encourage you to apply or reach out to us with any questions!
Launch Event
Finally, we would like to invite anyone who is interested in the Mentorship Program – both as a mentor or a mentee – to attend our official launch event and reception for the 2019-2020 mentorship term. This networking event will be a wonderful opportunity to meet past mentors and mentees, meet the upcoming group of interested participants, hear from inspiring guests, and enjoy some complimentary food and refreshments! The mentee applications will be officially opened following the event.
This event will be held on Monday, September 23rd at 6:00pm at 90 Sparks Street.
While there is no cost to attend this event, we request that you register in advance.
To register to attend Launch Event
Note that while you do not need to attend the event to apply as a mentor or mentee, we highly recommend participating to hear more about our plans for the upcoming year of the program, as well as to meet other participants. As this event is held prior to the opening of applications and there are limited spots available for mentees, attendance does not assure a spot in the program, but is nevertheless a wonderful opportunity to network.
We hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
The Mentorship Program Team
Thursday, June 13, 2019
PAFSO AWARDS DINNER
The PAFSO Awards are celebrating a milestone 30th anniversary this year. The awards represent the longest standing awards program at GAC and IRCC and recognize the extraordinary work being delivered by Foreign Service colleagues and friends. The program not only celebrates excellence in the Foreign Service as a professional association but also fosters a culture of recognition of people who inspire and represent the best of what the Foreign Service is and can be. This year’s Awards Dinner will take place on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 17:30 at the Shaw Centre (Trillium Ballroom). This year tickets can be purchased online until June 5that https://2019pafsoawards.eventbrite.ca.
To help mark this special year and to celebrate award recipients of the past, present and future, we hope that you will consider attending. Should you have any questions, please contact Dilys Buckley-Jones, Secretary to the PAFSO Awards Committee, at dilysbj@rogers.com or Natalie Caron, Chair of the PAFSO Awards Committee, at Natalie.Caron@international.gc.ca.
Wednesday June 5, 2019
Pre-Election Panel on Canadian Foreign Policy
The Canadian International Council – National Capital Branch (CIC-NCB),The Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS) at the University of Ottawa, and The Retired Heads of Mission Association (RHOMA) are pleased to present a Pre-Election Panel on Canadian Foreign Policy, on Wednesday, June 5th!
WHAT
What can we expect for Canadian foreign policy after the next election? How will our elected leaders meet today’s key global challenges? What place do they see for Canada in the world?
Join Moderator Chris Hall of CBC and representatives of the major federal political parties for a panel discussion on Canada’s foreign policy and the upcoming federal election. Expect a lively debate, followed by questions from the audience.
WHO
Rob Oliphant, Liberal MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
the Hon. Erin O’Toole, Conservative Party of Canada Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Guy Caron, New Democratic Party Critic for Foreign Affairs
Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
6:00 – 7:00 pm: Registration, networking
7:00 – 8:00 pm: Panel discussion
8:00 – 8:30 pm: Questions & answers
WHERE:
University of Ottawa, Desmarais Building
Room 4101 – 4th floor
55 Laurier Ave East
Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5
HOW:
While this event is free, we ask that you register in advance, as seating is limited to 150.
Please also advise if you need to cancel your registration, as we anticipate there will be a waiting list for this event.
To register
Those encountering difficulties with Eventbrite, or otherwise, may contact the event administrator by email: ottawa@thecic.org or telephone: 613-903-4011.
Monday, June 3, 2019
The CIC National Capital Branch invites you to its next speaker event on June 3
The CIC National Capital Branch is pleased to launch its North America Study Group with an address by Mr. Richard Mills Jr., the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the United States of America to Canada. Reflecting his extensive global experience, we have proposed that he address three areas: Canada-U.S. relations; hemispheric relations (e.g. Venezuela, Cuba); and wider international issues (selected regional concerns; multilateral affairs).
Mr. Mills, Jr. accepted his position as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy Ottawa in November 2018. He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor. Mr. Mills Jr. previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia from 2015-2018. His other posts include: Beirut, Lebanon; Valetta, Malta; Baghdad, Iraq; London, United Kingdom; and the United Nations in New York, among other assignments.
David MacDuff, the founding chair of the North America Study Group, will introduce the speaker and moderate the Q&A session. He is a career foreign service officer in the Department of Global Affairs who has served in four positions on Canada-United States relations.
The event will follow the Chatham House Rule. Only the guest speaker will attend in an official capacity. Other participants will take part as individual members of the CIC or as guests. Any views they express will be entirely personal and will not reflect any professional or institutional affiliation they may have.
The North America Study Group joins five CIC-NCB counterparts covering: Africa; Asia-Pacific; Intelligence Futures; Latin America and Caribbean; and Middle East.
DATE AND TIME:
Monday, June 3, 2019
6:00 pm: Registration, networking reception, cash bar
6:45 pm: Presentation, discussion
LOCATION:
alt HOTEL, Indigo Room, 185 Slater Street, Ottawa, K1P 0C8
A public parking lot with $4 evening rate starting at 6pm is available across the street (entrance on Laurier Avenue).
TICKETS AND REGISTRATION:
Advanced registration is recommended.
CIC student member: $15
CIC member: $25
Non member: $35
Non member student: $25
Add $3 to ticket price to pay at the door (registration in advance is still required).
The deadline for registration and cancellation is Friday, May 31 at 5pm.
To register
Those wishing to register for payment at the door, encountering difficulties with Eventbrite, or otherwise, may conatct the event administrator by email: ottawa@thecic.org or telephone: 613-903-4011.
Monday, June 3, 2019
#RightsCity 2019 – Montréal, #DroitsHumains 2019
Organized by the Concordia University’s Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, Amnesty International Francophone Canada, the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, the Canadian International Council and the Centre for International Peace and Security Studies (McGill), #RightsCity will bring together inspiring thought leaders in order to gain insights into pressing human rights issues and to re-energize the international human rights community during a time of great upheaval.
The full schedule will be posted soon.
Confirmed speakers
Roméo Dallaire, Canadian retired Lieutenant-General and Senator, humanitarian advocate, founder of the Child Soldiers Initiative and MIGS Distinguised Senior Fellow.
Irwin Cotler, Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, Emeritus Professor of Law at McGill University, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, longtime Member of Parliament and an international human rights lawyer.
Yang Jianli, Chinese dissident and former political prisoner who was involved in the Tiananmen Square democracy movement.
Michael Abramowitz, President of Freedom House, former White House correspondent for the Washington Post.
Jeremy Kinsman, former Canadian diplomat and Ambassador/High Commissioner to Russia, Italy, the European Union and the United Kingdom, current Resident International Scholar at the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.
Shaparak Shajarizadeh, former Iranian political prisoner, women’s rights leader and Senior fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.
Bessma Momani, Professor at the University of Waterloo and Balsilie School of International Affairs and Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation.
Jennifer Welsh, Canada 150 Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGilll University, former Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General on the Responsibility to Protect.
Date and Time:
Mon, 3 June 2019
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EDT
Location:
Concordia University – De Seve Cinema
Sir George Williams Campus
1400 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W., McConnell Library Building, LB-125 (DeSeve Cinema)
Montreal, QC H3G 1M8
Thursday, May 20 , 2019
Library and Archives Canada hosts Don Newman, one of Canada’s most respected journalist
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) invites you to an hour lively conversation with Don Newman. He will be the guest of Guy Berthiaume, Librarian and Archivist of Canada, as part of the Signatures Series, which features interviews with people who have donated their archives to LAC.
Thursday, May 30, 2019
12:15 pm to 1:15 pm
Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario
Presentation in English with simultaneous French translation
It is FREE!
Seating is limited, so please register by May 28, 2019. For more information about this event, email bac.invitation.lac@canada.ca.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
The CIC National Capital Branch presents
HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA: WHAT CAN CANADA DO?
In recent months, Canadians have been shocked by the detention in China of two Canadians, and the possible execution of a third. We are also hearing daily of the conditions of more than a million Uyghurs being held in Xinjiang for “re-education” to forsake their Muslim religion and swear loyalty to the Chinese government and Communist Party. This is being accompanied by increased facial recognition surveillance across the country and a new Social Credit System that assigns and detracts points for adherence to Party lines in personal WeChat discussions and behaviours in the community resulting in loss of privileges such as train and air travel as well as job and schooling opportunities. Abroad, China’s role in impacting academic freedom in the universities of other countries as well as influencing the Chinese diaspora is coming into question. These new practices all raise fundamental issues of individual human rights.
Join us for a timely discussion of human rights in China, and the constructive role that Canada can play. Our speaker for the evening will be Sophie Richardson, China Director for Human Rights Watch.
Our Discussant will be the Honourable David Kilgour, former Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific. CIC National Capital Branch Board Member Margaret McCuaig-Johnston will moderate the discussion.
Speaker Bios:
A graduate of the University of Virginia, the Hopkins-Nanjing Program, and Oberlin College, Dr. Sophie Richardson is the author of numerous articles on domestic Chinese political reform, democratization, and human rights in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Vietnam. She has testified before the European Parliament and the US Senate and House of Representatives. She has provided commentary to the BBC, CNN, the Far Eastern Economic Review, Foreign Policy, National Public Radio, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. Dr. Richardson is the author of China, Cambodia, and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, an in-depth examination of China’s foreign policy since 1954’s Geneva Conference, including rare interviews with policy makers.
David Kilgour is the former Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa (1997-2002) and Asia-Pacific (2002-2003) in the cabinet of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He represented south-east Edmonton in the House of Commons from 1979 to 2006 during eight Parliaments. He studied economics at the University of Manitoba and graduated from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law. He later did doctoral studies in constitutional law at the Faculty of Law at the Sorbonne in Paris. Mr. Kilgour’s passion for multi-party democracy, human rights and justice for all began in community service. He stepped down as a Member of Parliament in 2006 to become an advocate for human dignity and good governance internationally. He and David Matas were nominated in 2010 for the Nobel Peace Prize for their book, Bloody Harvest, and campaign to end party-state-run organ abuse across China. He is a volunteer at the Ottawa Mission for homeless men and a member of its Foundation. He is co-chair of the NGO Canadian Friends of a Democratic Iran, a Senior Fellow of both the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and the Macdonald Laurier Institute. He also sits on the boards of the Helsinki-based First Step Forum, Ethiopiaid Canada, the Educational Foundation of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians, and the session of Westminster Church.
Margaret McCuaig-Johnston is Senior Fellow with the Institute of Science, Society and Policy at the University of Ottawa, Senior Fellow with the China Institute at the University of Alberta, Distinguished Fellow with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and Research Associate at Duke University in Kunshan, China. She had a 37 year career in the federal government, 13 years as an Assistant Deputy Minister. She has a Masters of International Relations focussed on China and an Honours BA in Political Economy.
DATE AND TIME:
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
6:30 pm: Registration, networking reception
7:00 pm: Presentation, discussion
LOCATION:
Note new venue!
alt HOTEL, Indigo Room, 185 Slater Street, Ottawa, K1P 0C8
A public parking lot with $4 evening rate starting at 6pm is available across the street.
TICKETS AND REGISTRATION:
Advanced registration is recommended.
For a list of ticket prices and to register: https://cicncbmay082019.eventbrite.ca
or contact the event administrator by e-mail at ottawa@thecic.org or telephone 613-903-4011.
The deadline for registration and cancellation is Monday, May 6 at 10pm.
To join, or renew your membership to the CIC please go to https://thecic.org/en/get-involved/
Forum St-Laurent sur la sécurité international 2 – 3 mai, 2019
The Forum St-Laurent sur la sécurité internationale aspires to join other major international conferences held in Halifax, Munich and elsewhere in contributing to information sharing and debates on topical matters of international security. It is the only event of this kind in the world to be held in French. Created by the three institutions of higher learning and research in international studies of Québec, it takes place alternately in Montréal and Québec City. The 2019 edition on May 2nd and 3rd is titled: « Dissuasion, projection, manipulation. Les usages de la puissance et leurs limites »
Following a statement by the former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime minister, Daniel Jean, and opening remarks by the Québec government minister for Transformation numérique gouvernementale, Eric Caire, four panels will debate: “A new arms race », « The return of mercantilism », « The limits of power: human migrations and climate change », and « Cybersecurity, perceptions manipulations and international tensions » . A keynote address at lunch time will cover « Towards a geopolicy of peace »
May 2-3, Hotel Le Concorde Québec
For more information: http://fsl.quebec
March 25 @7:00 pm – 9:00 PM EDT FREE
CIC National Capital (Ottawa): The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Is the Two State Solution Dead?
At this upcoming event of the CIC National Capital Branch’s Middle East Study Group, Jon Allen will briefly summarize the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict emphasizing elements that feed the two competing narratives that dominate relations between the two sides until today. He argues that despite what one hears from both Israelis and Palestinians, the status quo is not an option. He concludes by explaining why he believes the two state solution remains the only answer to the conflict and what needs to happen in order to achieve it.
Jon Allen is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Canadian International Council and a Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. From 2006-10 he was Canada’s Ambassador to Israel and from 2012-16 he was Canada’s Ambassador to Spain.
Contact
There is no charge to attend this event. We ask, however, that you register in advance with Hamid Jorjani, Chair, Middle East Study Group – hjorjani@bell.net
Thursday, March 21 and Friday, March 22
Breaking Barriers, Shaping Worlds: Women and the Search for Global Order, 1919-2019
The Historical Section (PORH) of Global Affairs Canada is pleased to sponsor a two-day conference on the history of women and Canada’s international history on the theme, Breaking Barriers, Shaping Worlds: Women and the Search for Global Order, 1919-2019. Linking past and present, this symposium will explore how Canadian women have influenced Canada’s place in the world during the 20th century and beyond. Speakers will highlight the diverse ways in which Canadian women have shaped international relations, peacebuilding, security, humanitarian aid and development, as well as offering international historical perspectives on empowered women in diplomacy. The full conference program is available here.
Robertson Room, Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Avenue, Ottawa
There is no fee, but as space is limited, we ask participants to register in advance. Government-issued photo identification will be required for entry to the Lester B. Pearson building. Also, please note that due to renovations, access to 125 Sussex Drive is temporarily confined to the King Edward Avenue entrance at the rear of the building.
Parking at the venue is extremely limited. Attendees are encouraged to use public transportation or park in the nearby Byward Market. For information on public transportation, please visit the OC Transpo website. For information on parking in the nearby Byward Market, visit Parkopedia. A map to the Market area is available here. For more information, please email Stacey Barker or Greg Donaghy.
2019 Conference Speaker Bios Eng_Fre
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
The GLAMorous side of Cultural Diplomacy
Library and Archives Canada, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, will present an international panel discussion on cultural diplomacy on March 12, 2019, in Ottawa.
The purpose of this event is to learn about different perspectives on cultural diplomacy, and to highlight how members of the gallery, library, archives and museum (GLAM) communities can play a role in building lasting links between nations.
Participants will include representatives from embassies, international cultural and heritage organizations, national GLAMs (Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Canadian Museum of History, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Canadian Museum of Nature, and National Gallery of Canada), Ms. Christine St-Pierre, former minister of culture and minister of international relations of Quebec, and keynote speaker Senator Patricia Bovey (Manitoba).
When: March 12, 2019, 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Where: Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street, Ottawa
Registration is free
A detailed program will be available a few weeks before the event. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Join the Canadian International Council (CIC) National Capital Branch at its next Politics @ the Pub event!
CLAWS OF THE PANDA: Beijing’s Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada
Recent events are forcing us to take stock of Canada’s relationship with China and, indeed, of the manner in which we have managed our engagement with China’s government and society since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1970. There is disturbing evidence that the Chinese Communist Party has been advancing its interests in Canada in ways that are not always transparent and not always consistent with Canadian values and interests. Have we been naïve in the enthusiasm with which we have pursued closer ties with China and in assuming that China would adopt our values as its economy grew and it acquired more experience as a member of the international community? There is a pressing need to assess exactly what Chinese actors have been doing in Canada and factor that into what is bound to be a thorough reassessment of our stance towards the would-be superpower.
Our speaker will be Jonathan Manthorpe. China’s influence in Canada is the subject of his new book, Claws of the Panda, which is drawing wide attention and favourable comment from experienced observers. Margaret McCuaig Johnston, a member of the National Capital Branch, will act as discussant.
Jonathan Manthorpe has had a fifty-five year career as a journalist, serving as a foreign correspondent in Asia, Africa and Europe for Southam News, as the European Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star and as the national political reporter for The Globe and Mail. He is the author of three books on international relations, politics and history. He is based in Victoria, British Columbia.
Margaret McCuaig Johnston has served in senior management positions in the Government of Canada and is now a Senior Fellow in the Institute for Science, Society and Policy at the University of Ottawa, as well as being a Senior Fellow of the China Institute of the University of Alberta, a Distinguished Fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and a Research Associate of Duke Kunshan University in China.
WHEN: Wednesday, February 27 – 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Heart and Crown, 67 Clarence St, Ottawa, ON, K1N 5P5
TICKETS:
Tickets are $10.00 for CIC members and $15.00 for non-members, and include a beer or glass of wine.
To register online: https://cicncbfeb272019.eventbrite.ca
** While tickets will be sold at the door up to the capacity of the venue, we highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance to ensure a spot.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
CHEETAH DIPLOMACY: THE RACE TO SAVE THE WORLD’S FASTEST CAT
at 12:00pm
Please see here:
Those RHOMA members interested in attending are invited to contact the
Rideau Club directly at: Reservations@rideauclub.ca.
They should note that the event is sponsored by Rideau Club member Robert
Peck and that the Rideau Club dress code applies.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Usher in the holiday season with friends and colleagues at the CIC National Capital Branch’s next event
THE FUTURE OF MEXICO AND CANADA-MEXICO TRADE RELATIONS: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM MEXICO’S NEW PRESIDENT?
On December 1st Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known as AMLO, will assume the Mexican presidency, brought to power in a political tsunami that swept aside Mexico’s traditional political parties. AMLO had lost two previous attempts at the presidency and was dismissed by his detractors as a “tropical Messiah” or Mexican imitator of Hugo Chávez. Nevertheless, he attracted more than twice as many voters as his nearest rival, and his new leftist political party, Morena, won control of both houses of the federal government, and five out of the eight governorships that were up for grabs. With this enormous mandate, he has a level of political control unprecedented since the governing party, the PRI, lost office in 2000. He enters office with considerable power but also faces almost intractable challenges.
Dr. Laura Macdonald, Professor in the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Political Economy at Carleton University, will help shed light on the reasons for AMLO’s victory and his likely approach to the problems that confront Mexico. These include corruption, high and rising levels of violence, human rights violations and a culture of impunity, low rates of growth and high levels of poverty and social marginalization. She will also discuss the AMLO-Trump relationship and evaluate his chances of success in addressing USA-Mexico issues related to trade, border control and migration.
Colin Robertson, Vice President and Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and host of its Global Exchange podcasts, will assess the prospects of Canada’s trade relations with Mexico under AMLO. With three-quarters of Canada’s trade being within North America, Canada has a strong stake in ensuring that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), also known as NAFTA 2.0, is ratified. He will explore how best Canada can harness its new trade deal with Mexico to support this outcome in the face of the Trump presidency in the aftermath of the recent mid-term elections in the USA, and will evaluate what we can expect.
DATE AND TIME:
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
5:30 pm: Registration, networking reception
6:30 pm: Presentation, discussion
LOCATION:
KPMG, 150 Elgin Street, Suite 1800 (18th floor), Ottawa, K2P 2P8
Parking options include across the street at Ottawa City Hall.
TICKETS AND REGISTRATION:
For a list of ticket prices and to register: https://cicncbdec042018.eventbrite.ca
or contact the event administrator by e-mail at ottawa@thecic.org or telephone 613-903-4011.
The deadline for registration and cancellation is Sunday, December 2 at 10pm.
To join, or renew your membership to the CIC please go to https://thecic.org/get-involved/
Elizabeth Kingston
President
CIC National Capital Branch
November 21 – PROJECT ROZANA CANADA: BUILDING BRIDGES OF PEACE THROUGH HEALTHCARE
https://canada.projectrozana.org/event-in-ottawa-building-bridges-of-peace-through-healthcare/ – on November 21st at 11am at St. Bartholomew’s Church, 125 Mackay Street, Ottawa. It is sponsored by Project Rozana Canada, an organization focussed on building bridges of peace through healthcare, with two RHOMA members – Jon Allen and Laurette Glasgow – serving on its Board of Directors.
Ottawa Symphony Orchestra November 4th concert at City Hall:
https://ottawasymphony.com/3d-stringtheory-concert/
